Combination tool



J. T. SWEENEY COMBINATION TOOL Filed Aug. 4. 1922 Jan. 7, 1930.

{ii I y fi uw INV NTORV I BYgaA W J4 ATTORNEY.

Patented Jan. 7, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE JOHN '1. SWEENEY, OF KINGSTON, NEW YORK communion .12001.

Application filed August 4, 1922. Serial No. 579,587.

looped strip metal handle having a cutting blade secured between the opposite ends of the strip forming the handle, which ends are drawn together for the purpose of facilitating the mounting of the cutting blade and usually of a corkscrew, while affording a wide handle grip.

It has been a common practice heretofore to combine in the structure above specified, parts adapted to cooperate with the fulcrum head and other portions of the tool for the purpose of adapting the tool for the removal of closures of types other than the ordinary tops of tin cans.

While combination tools of the type above referred to have gone into extensive use, the manner of combining the various arts has been such. that there has been like ihood in some instances of the tearing of the hand upon one part of the tool while another part is in use, as to some of these tools, while with others there was likelihood of one of these parts interfering with the free operation of other parts, or a location of such parts which would require the tool to be-brought into different positions according to the use. of the tool at the moment. I

With the above conditions in mind, I have provided a tool so constructed as to embody therein implements so arranged as to co-act with each other, and so ositioned with relation to the cutting bladb as to permit the free use of this blade without likelihood of injury to the hand of the user, the cutting blade being arranged upon one side of the handle and all of the other parts being upon the opposite side of the handle. The construction and arrangement of these other parts is such that they will all coordinate vwhile performing their several functions.

One of said parts is particularly adapted for the removal of cardboard covers from milk jars, another is particularly adapted for the removal of crown caps from bottles, and still another is adapted for the removal of frictlon tops from cans of the friction to type. The part for removing tops from mllk jars is essential to the use of the element for removing crown caps, while the element for removing crown caps is essential to the use of the element for removing friction tops,

while the elements for removing crown caps and friction tops combined coo erat'e with the element for removing milkottle stoppers.

Preferably I employ a cutting blade havmg a serrated edge sharpened throughout the entire cuttin length thereof, since an edge of this type is more effective in the cutting of metal of a can top or can body than the straight cutting edge commonly employed.

7 The invention consists in the novel features of construction hereinafter set forth and described, and more particularly pointed out in the claims .hereto appended.

Referring to the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a combination tool embodying my invention; I

Fig. 2 is a side view thereof; and

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Like letters refer to like parts throughout 30 the several views.

In the embodiment of my invention shown in the drawings, a indicates a handle made of strip metal so looped upon itself as to provide the desired handle grip, the portions 6 adjacent the ends of the strip being formed toward each other so as to provide space to receive the shank of the corkscrew a, the cutting blade d, the fulcrum head 0, and the member 7, which may be formed integrally a with either said cutting blade or said fulcrum head. These parts are secured to the portions 6 of the handle a by means of rivets in the usual manner.

The cutting blade d is provided with a serrated edge indicated at d sharpened throughout the entire length thereof, the under side of the blade being curved in the usual manner to bring it to a point, the pointed end of 100 said blade projectin forwardl of the handle a and beyond the fu crum hea e.

The fulcrum head 6 is bent laterally of the handle a in a manner to provide a ortion e extending across the blade (I slig tly rearwardly of the point thereof. The portion e of the fulcrum head 6 which extends laterally of the tool has centrally thereof and above the blade (1, a curved or arched recess 6 terminating in an ular notches, indicated at c, said recess an said notches being on the edge of the laterally projecting portion e of the fulcrum head presented towards the blade (1. The notches e afford an effective fulcrum point in the event it is desired to cut through the side of a can instead of through the top thereof.

The edge of the portion 6' of the fulcrum head 0 posite that in which the recess 0 is 'forme has an extension projecting upwardly and forwardly of the ortion e and terminating in a sharpene point, said pointed element or rong shown at 9 being particularly ada te for use in the removal ofordinary car board stoppers from milk bottles.

The member f has a reduced shank f extending laterally of the handle a, said member having a head f which extends across the portions 12 of the handle, the laterally extended head i being of relatively greater length than the shank f so as to present projecting ortions h and 11 extending lon itudinally o the tool. One of said longitu inally extending portions as h is presented toward the prong g and the other as 11 is presented toward the looped'end of the handle a. The edges of the arts h and i are reduced or sharpened as lndicated more particularly in Fig. 2, so as to produce oppositely presented -pries, one of which as h is particularly adapted for removing crown bottle caps, and the other of which as i is particularly adapted for removing the friction tops of cans emplo 'ng this type of closure.

'l e member f is spaced from the prong or pointed element g a distance which permits said prong to act as a fulcrum point when the pry h is in use, and the distance between the members it and i is such that the member It will serve as a fulcrum when the member 2' is to be used in removing friction tops.

The ortion of the head f between the edges 0 the parts It and 21, serves as a fulcrum g to penetrate the cardboard closure of a mi ar without developing that downward prespomt to permit the pointed element or prong.

sure which .frequently results in the forcing of this closure within a bottle with a resultant loss in the cream at the top of the bottle.

It will be noted that the side of the handle a from which the blade (1 projects, is free of all obstructions so that when using the tool as a can opener, there is absolutely no likelihood of tearing the forefinger, it being the common practice to osition the fingers upon one side of the hand e a and under same, and the thumb upon the other side thereof, the end of the handle bearing against the palm of the hand. In the event of slippage of the hand, however, when cutting the tin of cans, there may be considerable movement of the hand without likelihood of any portion thereof strikin a ainst anything except the back of the bla e I By locating the member 7 and the pointed element or pron 9 upon the same side of the handle, and that side opposite to the blade at, I not only secure the advantage of an absence of likelihood of injury to the user, but in the use of these parts, the handle a is merely reversed, the tool'being held in the same manner irrespective of whether the element or prong g or either pry h or i is being used.

The member 7 is preferably made integrally with the cutting blade (1 as shown in the accompanying drawings, although if desired it may be made integrally with the fulcrum head e, this being a matter of merely mechanical skill.

When it is desired to use the pointed element or prong g, the portion of the head 7 of the member I may be rested upon the top of a bottle, the downward and forward projection of the element or prong causing this rong to enter the cardboard o the milkbott e closure, and the en agement of the head 7 with the top of the ottle preventing any such movement of the closure as wi force it within the bottle.

When it is desired to remove a crown bottle cap, the element or prong g is placed upon the toglof the cap and the pry It brought to meet t e fluted edge thereof, whereupon by an upward movement of the handle a, the cap may be readily removed. When so used, the element or prong 9 will enga e a portion of the periphery of the top of 516 cap diametrically opposite the point of engagement of the pry h with the fluted skirt thereof, thus tending to avoid mutilation of the cap, so that it may, if desired, be replaced upon a bottle.

When using the pry i, the portion of the head f adjacent the pry it will bear upon the rim of the container ad acent the friction top,

or on the top of the container adjacent thereto, if a small friction top is to be removed, and thus serve as a fulcrum point for lifting the ca If desired the pry i may also be used or removing crown caps, although it has not been found as efiicient for this purpose as the pry h.

The use of' a serrated ed e (1' upon the blade d is for the purpose 0 securing what may be termed an intermittent shearing aclot tion, the spaces between the serrations. per- 7 mitting a cutting action by a sequence of impulses, as distinguished from the straight shearing action commonly present with such blades. This serrated ed e, however, need not be employed unless so esired'.

Having described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to have protected by Letters Patent, is

1. A combination tool embodying therein handle, a member having a reduced ofi'set shank and ahead extending at right'angles to and projecting beyond said shank longitudinally of, and spaced from, said handle,-and a fulcrum head member formed separately from the handle, having formed integrally therewith an upwardly and forwardly extending portion terminating in a sharpenedpoint on the same side of the handle as said head. v

2. A combination tool embodying therein a handle, a member having a reduced offset shank and a head extending at right angles to and projeotin beyond said shank lon tudinally of, an spaced from, said hand e, both projecting portions of said head having reduced edges, and a fulcrum head-member formed separately from the handle, having formed inte rally therewith an upwardly and forwar 1y extending portion terminatmg in a sharpened point on the same side of the handle as said head.

head extending be 0nd said shank upon both 3. A combination tool embodying therein a handle, a member consisting of an offset shank and a headextending laterally and longitudinally of the handle, portions of said sides thereof, an having thereon ends reduced to an edge, a fulcrum head carried b said handle in operative relation to said hea and means securlng said member and said fulorum head in operative relation to said handle.

In witness whereof I have hereunto af I I fixed my signature, this 2nd day of August,

JOHN T. SWEENEY; 

